playmaker and one of the most experienced QB’s in the state
having started nearly 30 games in his career. Alger will look to
take some of the pressure off McCrary as he averaged over
six yards per carry a year ago. The Raiders’ offense will score
points in 2014, but an eye needs to be kept on a defense that
boasts two 100-tackle linebackers in Hoad and Heinrich. Vest
and Wells each recorded four interceptions in 2013 and will
pace the secondary.

THE WORD: Cedar Ridge reached the postseason in the
school’s second varsity season, and the Raiders earned a
victory in their playoff debut, quite the accomplishment for
the young school. One year later, the Raiders will need to
find a new quarterback, but an offense that scored over 400
points last fall is not lacking in talent. Morello is a third-year
starter at running back and will take pressure off the new
signal caller. Dogan emerged at the end of the 2013 season
and will provide balance to the ground attack and Racine averaged nearly 18 yards per catch in his first fall on the varsity
squad. The offensive line will need some young guys to step
into more prominent roles in order for the offense to keep up
their torrid 2013 pace. The speedy Peterson will anchor the
secondary after a 67-tackle season in 2013. Cedar Ridge
will need to clean up some things on defense – seven teams
scored at least 30 points against the Raiders in 2013 – but
a second-straight playoff appearance is possible.

THE WORD: Growth in Round Rock ISD may have affected
Stony Point the most in recent years. Stony Point has not
reached the postseason since its run of three straight trips
to the state semifinals, but the Tigers should have reason to
think that they could end that three-year skid. Lindley has
seen playing time in each of the past two seasons, and he
is also the team’s leading returning rusher. He will have tantalizing targets to throw to in Dejour Williams and Gamble,
a first-team all-district honoree who caught 67 footballs in
2013. Garza and fellow offensive lineman Gerardo Calderon
are also coming off all-district seasons for the Tigers. That
kind of experience should mean good things for the Tigers
offense. Stony Points does not return any all-district players
to a defense that allowed 36. 2 points per game in 2013, but
eight of the team’s defensive contributors will have starting
experience. That experience will result in an improvement
and a chance to get into the playoffs in what looks to be a
competitive district race.

THE WORD: Westwood has reached the postseason in each
of the past five seasons, and the Warriors will look to extend
the district’s second-best streak. They went three rounds
deep in 2012, but Coach Wood’s squad stumbled to just
four wins a year ago. Five starters are coming back to an
offense that has averaged nearly 28 points per game over
the past three seasons. Wilde and Andress both had 39-re-
ception seasons in 2013, and the duo combined for 1, 100
receiving yards 10 touchdown catches. Swensen, who threw
a few passes during his sophomore season, takes over at
the quarterback position and McGinnis could be one of the
district’s top newcomers. Coach Wood speaks highly of his
big play ability and if he can adjust to the speed of the varsity
game he could be a major factor. And don’t forget about the
leg of Burton, who made eight of his field goal attempts last
fall. Westwood allowed 38. 7 points per game last season,
but the Warriors’ six returning starters will look to better
those numbers. Kifer is the top returning tackler and should
anchor a unit that will be improved.

THE WORD: Pflugerville has not posted back-to-back losing
seasons since a four-year stretch from 1990-93, and an experienced Panther roster will try to ensure that the program
can return to its winning ways this fall. Pflugerville returns
seven offensive starters, and Herrmann’s Wing-T offense
has strong rushing options in Wallace and Johnson, who
combined for over 1, 100 rushing yards in 2013. Wallace
himself took eight trips into the end zone. Senior Zach Milner threw for eight touchdowns last season, but classmate
Ezra McClain could end up directing the school’s offense.
Pflugerville’s defense allowed 36. 5 points per game during
the 2013 season, but the Panthers have seven defensive
starters back and the team should improve behind the leadership of Rivera ( 64 tackles) and Kelley ( 61 tackles). Speed
and athleticism is always a trademark of Pflugerville squad’s
and this year should be no different, the questions for the
Panthers will be depth in the trenches.

THE WORD: Howard McMahan has taken over at McNeil after
compiling 40 wins over seven seasons at nearby Pflugerville
Connally High, and he inherits a team that has won six games
over the past four seasons. McNeil sent defensive linemen
Zach Vaughan and Tillman Johnson to FBS-level schools, but
four returning starters on defense should give McMahan, a
defensive coordinator on Copperas Cove’s 2006 state finalist team, something to work with. McNeil is also expected to
bring four starters back on offense, and Cooper will be back
after throwing for nearly 1,800 yards during his sophomore
season. McNeil only posted one district victory in 2013, but
the Mavericks were also competitive in losses to rival Stony
Point (four points), Hendrickson ( 14 points) and Stony Point
( 16 points). McNeil hasn’t reached the postseason since
2004, but can McMahan get the Mavericks moving in the
right direction?

DISTRICT 14-6A

IN PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

LAKE TRAVIS CAVALIERS

ENROLLMENT: 2,410 ( 5)

2013 RECORD: 12-2 5A Div. II State Semi-Finalist

THE COACH: Hank Carter

THE PLAYERS: James Bailey (Sr., DB), John Brewer (Sr., LB),
Dominic De Lira (Sr., QB), Tevin Paul (Jr., DL), Chris Roller
(Sr., DB), Grant Foster (Sr., WR), Jeffrey Gibbs (Jr., OL), Pheno
Pearson (Sr., DL), Abe Willows (Jr., RB), Cade Green (So., WR)
THE WORD: After a disappointing Class 5A debut in 2012,
Lake Travis reached the state semifinals in 2013 before
falling to eventual Division II champion Cedar Hill. Carter
will enter his fifth season as Lake Travis’ all-time winningest
coach, and the former defensive coordinator returns six
starters from a defense that allowed 14. 3 points per game
in 2013. That group played extremely well late in the season
and that momentum should carry into the 2014 season.
The Lake Travis offense also returns six starters, but the
unit will have to reinvent itself now that running back Shaun
Nixon is at TCU. A lot more of the offense will fall to QB De
Lira who is back after throwing for nearly 2,400 yards and
25 touchdowns during his 2013 debut, and Foster has put
together t wo solid seasons at the wide receiver position. The
Cavaliers will also turn their offense over to new coordinator
Mike Wall, who was last seen directing Georgetown’s high-scoring offense during the Eagles’ run to the 2012 Class 4A,
Division I title game.

THE WORD: Bowie will be carried this fall by an offense that
scored at least 35 points in eight of its 11 games in 2013.
QB Wheeler has some playing experience from a year ago
and he’ll be relied on in a big way as he takes over at QB full
time. RB Myers is coming off an all-district season in which
he rushed for over 1,000 yards, and the versatile Johnson
has created some highlights on the ground and through the
air. He’ll be looked to as the Bulldogs big play weapon. Austin
Bowie also boasts the district’s best leg in Flanigan, who
earned first-team all-district accolades in 2013 as a kicker
and punter. The defense will be a major concern for Bowie
as its returns only one starter from a defense that allowed
21. 2 points per game last season, and the unit’s all-district
returnee (Zach Velasquez) is moving from linebacker to the
secondary. If the Bulldogs young defense can emerge they’ll
be in playoff contention once again.

AUSTIN WESTLAKE CHAPARRALSENROLLMENT: 2,604.5 ( 3)

2013 RECORD: 7-4 5A Div. II Area Finalist

THE COACH: Todd Dodge

THE PLAYERS: Sean Rollins (Sr., WR), Brecken Hager (Sr., LB),
Gabe Duran (Sr., LB), Hudson Hall (Sr., LB), Malek Jacobs (Sr.,
RB), Andrew Laycock (Sr., WR), Daniel Aidman (Sr., DL), Max
Mangum (Jr., DB), Sam Ehlinger (So., QB), Mack Kelley (Jr., DB)
THE WORD: Graduation hit the Chaparrals hard, as did
the April departure of head coach Darren Allman, who
left for a coaching job at Colleyville Heritage. Even more
disheartening for Chaparral fans is Allman left after spring
football already had started. New coach Todd Dodge comes
over from Marble Falls and will inherit a program that has
reached the postseason in each of the past 26 seasons,
but the new coach will also have to fill a lot of holes on the
team’s roster. The dynamic Rollins, who is the team’s only
returning offensive starter, compiled 52 catches and over
1,000 yards of offense during his junior year, but who is going to throw him the football since two-year starter Jordan
Severt is now at SMU. The Chaparrals have fewer questions
on a defense that is expected to return five starters. Hager,
Hall and Duran all earned all-district nods in 2013. If Coach
Dodge along with his championship pedigree can come in
and facilitate a quick adjustment to a new scheme there’s
enough talent on hand to be in the district title hunt.

THE WORD: Hays High has won at least a share of a district
title in each of the past three seasons, but things could get a
little tougher as the Rebels make the jump to the classification that was formerly known as Class 5A. Lanfear, who has
committed to Texas A&M, will anchor Hays High’s offensive
line, and Gandy will be back in the Rebels’ backfield after an
11-touchdown debut. The Rebels will have a new quarterback in either senior Trey Dickerson or junior Braeden Kent,
and Gandy is the only offensive returnee who compiled any
significant statistics last season. However, with an offensive line like the Rebels have they should still be capable
of moving the football. The Rebels defense allowed 21. 6
points per game during the team’s run to the postseason’s
second round, but Stoval had 90 tackles in 2013 and the
Rebels return two all-district honorees in Rubio and Cuzze. A
tougher top to bottom district and the extra grind of playing
in the state’s largest classification will be a challenge, but
the Rebels have enough to get back to the playoffs.

THE WORD: Austin High did not reach the postseason during
Rosenthal’s first two years as the team’s head coach, but
the Maroons could be back in contenion this fall. Rosenthal
said that he would like to see his team work on its consistency, and Austin High will have ten total starters back on its
sidelines. The Maroons do not return an all-district honoree
to their roster, but Kalbacher was the team’s quarterback
throughout most of the 2013 season, and he had three-touchdown games in two of the Maroons’ three wins. Saenz
will be Kalbacher’s top target this fall. A defense that will
be led by Dowell is bringing back four starters, and the unit
will have to narrow its win-loss splits (Austin High allowed
39 points per game in its seven losses and 13. 7 points per
game in its three wins). Improvement should take place in
2014, but getting into the top four in a much tougher district
will be a major undertaking.

DEL VALLE CARDINALS

ENROLLMENT: 2,860.5 ( 2)

2013 RECORD: 2-8

THE COACH: Charles Burton

THE PLAYERS: Will Grear (Sr., RB), Khalid Taylor (Sr., LB), Altany
Wilson (Sr., WR), Devondre Gilliam (Sr., LB), Josh Evans (Sr.,
WR), Brendan Carter (Jr., DB), Fred Wilson (Jr., RB), Erik Chavez
(Jr., DL), Ashton Robinson (Sr., DL), Luis Escanlante (Jr., K)
THE WORD: Del Valle was a Class 5A bi-district finalist in 2011
and 2012, but the Cardinals were grounded in Burton’s first
year with the school missing out on the postseason. A former linebacker at Syracuse, Burton has six starters back on
his defense, and he has some nice pieces to work in Taylor
( 93 tackles in 2013), Gilliam ( 90 tackles) and Robinson ( 6. 5
sacks). Del Valle’s offense topped 21 points on only two occasions in 2013, but the Cardinals return seven offensive
starters and quarterback David Gutierrez has seen playing
time. Evans scored five touchdowns during his junior season, and the athletic Wilson is coming off a spring in which
he reached the state track and field meet in the triple jump.
Team speed is certainly a plus for the Cardinals, but there
are concerns in the trenches. Playing in a district with Lake
Travis and Westlake, Del Valle will need to quickly address
a secondary that graduated all-district pick Vincent Wilson.